Question on a duck skiff.

[Benny]

I just traded a bow and rack extender for an older 8 foot long duck skiff.It has a name plate from Larson Boat Manufacture and is about 8 foot long.It is made of fiberglass, has a small keel, and a cockpit style top.Looks like a Cerstens Puddler, or close to it.
Anyone have any knowlege of these skiffs, like what years they were made, are they worth anything, and how stable they are????
I needed a small skiff for the sloughs in S.D that we hunt, most canoes are even to big to get into some of the smaller pot holes.
Any help would be great.
Benny

[Benny]

Bump.
Thanks,Benny

[Guest]

I bought a Carsten Pintail from a guy this past fall and he had an old Larson layout boat that was practically identical to the Pintail. He said his grandfather bought it many, many years ago and he hunted from this boat when he was a kid. I'm guessing it is dated back to around the early 1950's.
The Larson he had was a rough fiberglass, almost felt like paper material. It was not a glossy finish at all. Dark green in color. It could be a collector item??

[Benny]

CD that would coinside with the info I found on a web sight dating the history of Larson boats.It was the mid 50's that Larson boats started using fiberglass.This boat is also a rough texture and olive drab type color.
It has a square stern like the mallard or pintail cerstens, and a wide v front.The nose cover comes back maybe a foot to a foot and a half.Rest is open where a person would sit, it also has ore lockes.
This boat is only about 7 foot long, and weights maybe 70 #'s.
I have to snap some pictures for the Duck Hunters Boat Page, so if your intrested I can send you a picture of it for referance.
It was said to me by the former owner that a pawn shop slash antique dealer out in the western part of the metro area said they would give $400 for it if it was a Larson.
So it may well be a collector, I have all summer to find out if it is a real one of a kind or just one of thousands.Then I have to either use it or buy another small skiff or canoe.
Thanks for the intrest,Benny

[Guest]

Wow, a 7' boat w/ a square stern? Sounds like a cool boat. I can imagine it would be a collector item. I love my Carsten, I don't know how I hunted some lakes without it! If it's in good shape I think $400 would be cheap price!